1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to domestic cooking ranges and, more particularly, to domestic cooking ranges having a warming drawer adapted to receive and maintain cooked hot food at an above-ambient temperature.
2. Description of Related Art
Domestic cooking ranges traditionally include an open space relatively beneath the oven which slidably receives a storage drawer in which the user may store various articles, such as cooking pots and/or pans. As such, the conventional or prior art drawer is only useful for storage purposes, and could not be used to heat or warm food.
The space occupied by the storage drawer has also, in the past, been used as a broiling cavity which receives a broiling tray. A broiling element is located relatively above the broiling tray. The broiling element is operated at high temperatures as required to accomplish the broiling function.
The prior art references which include a broiling element do not control energization of the broiling element to only warm food contained on the broiling tray. Rather, the broiling element is typically operated exclusively at full power, as required for broiling. Due to the high-energy or high-heat output of the broiling element, maintaining food at an above-ambient temperature for warming purposes, but still low enough so that further cooking does not occur, is not possible.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a cooking appliance which provides a warmer drawer in which heating or warming of food is permitted. There also exists a need in the art for a warming device wherein the temperature of the food within the device is controlled such that further cooking of the food, which may degrade the food quality, does not occur.